Casket-support.



No. 638,587. Patented Dec. 5, |899. D. W. MUMPER.

AICA'SKET SUPPORT.

(Application filed May 25,1899.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT Critica.

DAVID` W. MUMPER, OF ATWOOD, ILLINOIS.

GASKET-SUPP() RT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 638,587', datedDecember 5, 1899.

Application led May 25, 1899. Serial No. 718,198. '(No model.)

To @ZZ whom it rtay concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID IV. MUMPER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Atwood, in the county of Piatt and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Casket-Supports; and Ido declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to casket-supports, and more particularly to thatclass of devices which are temporarily employed to support the casketabove the grave prior to interment.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, convenient, and safesupport of this character, whereby the final handling of the casket maybe conducted in a .safe and ceremonious manner and without any repulsiveincidents common to the cruder form of in-' terment.

To these ends the invention consists in certain features of constructionand combination of parts, which will be hereinafter more fullydescribed, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings the same reference characters indicate thesame parts of the invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective v iew of a casketsupport'embodying myinvention and in position to receive the casket; and Fig. 2 is a similarview with the casket in place, the latter being shown in dotted lines.

In the drawings, 1 1 and 2 2 denote the counterpart sills, each of whichis provided with lixed and suitably-braced uprights 3,3 to support theparallel rails 4 et', and which form the track for the carriage totravel on. The same ends of the rails are provided with slottedbearing-brackets 5 5 to receive the removable roller 6, the length ofthe bearingface'of which conforms to the lateral adjustment of the rails4 1l', which is attained by the proper adjustment of the crossed braces7 and S, which extend from the upper ends of the end uprights on the oneside to the lower ends of the corresponding uprights on the other sideof the support. These braces, in addition to their adj ustability,arealso removable, so that when detached and the roller 6 removed the sidesmay be folded together, the

-ket rests consists of the square axles 10 and 12 and a bed-piece 13,each of which is provided with the double-flanged roller-wheels 14 let,mounted on elongated journals and riding freely on the side rails. Theaxle 12 is provided with adjustable `guard or guide pegs 12' 12 and isconnected to the bed-piece by a reach 15, so that the said axle andbed-piece travel together. Y

The axles lO and l2 are adjustable with reference to each other by meansof the straps 16 16, the outer ends of which are fixed to theirrespective axles and their meeting ends adjusted by the conventionalbuckle 16.

The lateral adjustment of the rails is to conform to the width of thegrave, and the longitudinal adjustment of the carriage is to correspondto the difference in the length of childrens and adults caskets.

A strap 17has one end fixed to the axle 12, and its free end extendsrearwardlyand Within reach of the director of ceremonies, who has aposition at the head of the casket.

In the utilization of the device the carriage is adjusted to theposition shown in Fig. l, and the pall-bearers having rested at the footof the casket on the vroller 6 retain their positions at the sides,while the director, supporting the head of the casket, moves it gentlyforward until `the foot enters between the Huard-pegs and rests on theaxle 12 and plate 13, the head of the casket being raised over v thecarriage, and both are moved forward until the casket is verticallyabove the grave. The attendants now raise the casket by the usuailowering straps or lines, and the director by means of the strap 17withdraws the carriage from beneath the casket, which is then lowered inthe usual manner.

Although I have shown the support as constructed of wood, it is evidentthat it may be formed of metal and ornamented to suit the requirementsof the most fastidious.

The accompanying drawings show my i11- vention in the best form nowknown to me; but many changes in the details might be made within theskill of a good mechanic with- 'IOO out departing from the spirit of myinvention as set forth in the claims at the end of this specification.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of United States, is-

1. A support of they character described, eomprisin g a pair of parallelhorizontal rails, a roller journaled in the contiguous ends of saidrails; in combination with a collapsible,

carriage adapted toitravel upon said rails, and means for returning saidcarriage to the starting-point, substantially as and for the pur poseset forth.

2. A folding or collapsible support of the said roller, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing Witnesses.

DAVID W. MUMPER..

Witnesses:

ALEX. H. ELTON, E. R. PARSONS.

